Slip setting device for oil well elevators



May 1, 1962 s. w. MEEK 3,032,366

SLIP SETTING DEVICE FOR OIL WELL ELEVATORS Filed June 26, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.2

Samuel W. Meek INVENTOR.

May 1, 1962 s. w. MEEK SLIP SETTING DEVICE FOR OIL WELL ELEVATORS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 26, 1958 Fig.6

Samuel W. Meek INVENTOR. BY i amy Em May 1, 1962 s. w. MEEK 3,032,366

SLIP SETTING DEVICE FOR OIL WELL ELEVATORS Filed June 26, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig.4 72 40 I0 50 Samuel M. Meek INVENTOR.

Y wnw United States This invention comprises a novel and useful slip setting device for oil well elevators and more particularly relates to a means for ensuring more effectively the setting of the slips of an oil well elevator while preventing the weight of the pipe from resting upon the elevator through the pipe coupling.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a means which will more effectively ensure the setting of the slips upon a pipe and which will effectively prevent the weight of the pipe being engaged by the slips from resting directly upon the slips through the coupling member or an upset or enlarged end portion of the pipe.

A further and more specific object of the invention is to provide an attachment which may be applied to a conventional pipe elevator and slip assembly thereof without the necessity for altering the structure of the elevator and slip assembly, and which shall be effective to cause resilient pressure to be exerted upon the slip assembly in a manner to ensure setting of the slip assembly upon a atent O" pipe, when the slip assembly and its attachment are engaged with an upper or enlarged portion of a pipe.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing a conventional form of pipe elevator having a slip assembly therein, and to which the principles of this invention have been applied;

FIGURE 2 is an exploded perspective view of the slip setting attachment in accordance with this invention, the leaf spring slip biasing means being omitted therefrom;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of the arrangement of FIGURE 1, but showing the position of the parts in the closed position of the elevator and slip assembly thereof;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 4-4 of FIGURE 3 and showing the manner in which the slips engage a pipe and wherein the slips are positively set by the box end of a pipe;

FIGURE 5 is a detail view of a portion of FIGURE 4; and

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of one of the leaf spring elements forming a part of the invention.

In the handling of heavy pipes, especially tubes and casings employed for oil wells, elevators are customarily employed having therein slip assemblies by which the pipes are embraced and gripped for handling. A slip assembly usually includes a plurality of slips, the latter consisting of sliding wedge members having toothed surfaces for engaging, gripping, and holding the exterior surface of a pipe or casing embraced thereby. These slips sometimes slide upon the exterior surface of the pipe with which they are engaged, especially when the teeth of the slips become worn, so that the weight of the pipes sliding through the slips is finally transmitted directly by the upset or enlarged end or box portion of the pipe adjacent the box, joint or coupling at the end of the section of pipe directly upon the top surface of the slips, frequently resulting in crushing the upset surface of such pipe.

It is extremely desirable that such sliding of the pipe through the slips be prevented in order that the crushing of the upset portion of the pipe may be avoided. The present invention provides a means which may be readily 3,032,366 Patented May 1, 1962 ICC attached to a conventional slip assembly of a conventional elevator or other pipe handling tool to positively effect a closure and tight gripping engagement of the slips upon the exterior surface of the pipe at a position which is spaced from the aforesaid upset portion of the pipe, thereby preventing crushing of the latter by the slips.

While the slip setting device of this invention is applicable to various types of tools, there has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in order to satisfactorily set forth the manner in which the slip setting device effects its desired function, the application of the device to a conventional pipe elevator such as the well known Byron- Jackson Pipe YT Central Latch Slip Tubing Elevator and which is now available upon the market.

Referring primarily to FIGURES 1 and 3 it will be seen that the numeral 10 designates a conventional pipe elevator of the type above mentioned and which includes a pair of hinged jaws each designated by the numeral 12 and which have, when closed. a central axial opening therethrough for embracing a pipe shown at 14 in FIG- URE 4. Received in the central opening of the elevator are a plurality of slips 16, four being employed in this particular make of tool, and each of which comprises a pipe gripping jaw.-

Referring now particularly to FIGURE 4 it Will be observed that the inside wall of the central opening through the tool has a plurality of slip receiving seats 20 which are inclined to the axis of the opening and in which the slips 16 are slidably seated. For this purpose, the slips have corresponding inclined surfaces 22 which slide upon the seats and thus move axially of the body of the tool.

Each of these slips is partially cylindrical and the concave surface thereof is provided with a plurality of sets of teeth 24 which are adapted to grip and engage the exterior surface of the pipe 14.

The slips are slidably secured in the body of the elevator as by means of apertured lugs 26 of each slip being slidably engaged in longitudinal channels or slots 28 which extend laterally from the seats 20. Retaining and guide bolts 30 extend through suitable bores 32 in the body of the tool, through the apertured lugs 26 whereby the slips are retained in their seats but are mounted for sliding movement axially thereof. Compression springs 34 surround the bolts 30 and engage seating and apertured lugs 36 disposed in the recesses 28, to thereby urge the slip l6 axially upward relative to the opening in the elevator. By virtue of the inclined surfaces, and the wedge shape of the slips, this axial movement results in a radial movement of the slips towards or from the pipe 14 to be gripped thereby, depending upon the direction of travel of the slips.

Ordinarily, when a slip fails to securely grip a pipe, the latter will slide through the slip until the upset portion 40 of the pipe passes between the opposed toothed surfaces 24 of the set of slips thereby resulting in crushing of the upset portion 40 and damage to the pipe, and sometimes this slippage continues until the joint or coupling 42 between adjacent sections of pipes rests upon the top surface 44 of the slip assembly.

The present invention provides a means positively preventing this undesirable action arising from failure of the slips to be properly set upon the pipe.

' Referring now especially to FIGURE 2 in conjunction with FIGURES l and 4, it will be seen that the present invention comprises an attachment which may be readily applied to the conventional structure of the pipe elevator and slip assembly previously described. Thus, there is provided a pressure means which preferably comprises a pair of semi-circular plate-like members each designated by the numeral 50, and having a pair of bores 52 projecting therethrough. Disposed centrally of the pair of comaesasee plementary members 50, there is provided a central circular opening consisting of apair of the arcuate notches, recesses or openings 54. As shown best in FIGURE 4, the complementary recesses 54 are beveled so as to provide a seat which engages the upset portion 40 of a pipe, when the elevator jaws 12 are closed upon the pipe as shown in FIGURE 4. Thus, if the pipe slides downwardly into the elevator, the upset portion 40 will set upon the recess surfaces 54 and apply its weight to the pressure means 50.

In addition to the pressure means, the slip setting device of this invention includes a mounting means which comprises a plurality of arcuately shaped plates or members each designated by the numeral 56, and each of which is provided with a pair of apertures or bores 58 therethrough. Disposed intermediate the ends of the arcuate members 56 are threaded bores 60. Each of the members 56, one being provided for each slip 16, is secured to its slip as by fastening screws 62, see FIGURE 5, which extend through the countersunk apertures 58 into the customary corresponding bore with which the slip 16 is provided. Thus, the mounting means are directly and abuttingly secured to the top surface 44 of the slips.

A resilient compression means is disposed between the pressure means and the mounting means, and consists of a resilient bushing 70 disposed in each of the bores 52. As shown in FIGURE 4, this bushing is somewhat thicker than the member 50 in which it is seated, and receives therethrough a fastening screw 72 which is engaged with the previously mentioned threaded bore 60. It will thus be evident that by the fastener screws 72, the two arcuate plates 50 comprising the pressure means are secured to the four arcuate plates 56 comprising the mounting means, and thus through the connection of the latter to the slips, are in turn connected to the slips. However, the interposed resilient compression bushings 70 serve to space the elements 50 from the elements 56 for a purpose to be now set forth.

In the arrangement shown in FIGURE 4, when the jaws of the elevator are closed upon the pipe 14, if the toothed portion 24 of the slips fail to securely grip the pipe, the latter tends to slide through the slips, the sliding action will result in the upset portion 40 seating upon the seating surfaces 54 of the pressure means. This in turn will push the latter downwardly and through the resilient members 70, will apply a pressure to the mounting plates 56, and through the latter to the slips 16 thereby urging the latter downwardly against the spring 34 and radially inwardly to thus force the teeth of the slips into the surface of the pipe. In this manner, the slips will be resiliently urged axially downwardly and radially inwardly to effect a secure gripping engagement upon the pipe without and before any possible engagement of the ofiset portion 40 with the slips themselves.

There are also provided in accordance with this invention a pair of leaf springs 80 having their upper ends turned at 90 to their midportions to provide apertured ears 82.

The arrangement is such that the ears may be secured between the previously mentioned bolt and guide members 30 forming a conventional part of the elevator assembly, with the midportions resiliently engaging the outer edges of the pressure means to urge the latter inwardly in contact with the pipe.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and de scribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A pipe elevator comprising a body having a vertical opening extending axially therethrough for receiving a pipe, slip seats in said body facing said opening and inclined downwardly and inwardly of said body toward the vertical axis of said opening, slips each slidably mounted on one of said seats for movement longitudinally thereof and for movement both axially and radially of said vertical axis, channels extending longitudinally of and recessed in said seats, guide lugs on said slips slidably received in said channels, a guide bracket in each channel disposed between the slip lugs of said channel, resilient means engaging the bracket and lugs therein for yieldingly urging said slips into an upper and radially outward pipe releasing position in said body, pressure plates overlying the top surfaces of said slips for pushing the latter downwardly in their seats against said resilient means, said pressure plates having pipe receiving openings therein sufficiently large to allow sliding of a pipe therethrough but sufficiently small for seating upon and retaining a pipe joint, means urging said pressure plates radially toward said opening, a mounting plate for each slip, means securing each mounting plate to the top surface of its associated slip, means securing each mounting plate to the undersurface of one of said pressure plates.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein each of said pressure plates has bores therethrough, resilient bushings seated in said bores, said last mentioned securing means comprising bolts extending through said bushings and connected to said mounting plates.

3. A pipe elevator comprising a body having a vertical opening therethrough for receiving a pipe, slip seats in said body facing said opening and inclined downwardly and inwardly of said body toward the vertical axis of said opening, slips each slidably mounted on one of said seats for movement longitudinally thereof and both axially and radially of said vertical axis, guide means slidably retaining said slips for movement in said seats, resilient means yieldingly urging said slips into an upper and pipe releasing position in said body, pressure plates overlying the top surfaces of said slips for pushing the latter downwardly in their seats against said resilient means, said pressure plates having pipe receiving openings therein sufiiciently large to allow sliding of a pipe therethrough but sufliciently small for seating upon and retaining a pipe joint, a mounting plate for each slip, means securing each mounting plate to the top surface of its associated slip, means securing each mounting plate to the undersurface of one of said pressure plates.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein each slip has a pair of spaced upper and lower guide lugs, a retainer for each slip extending vertically through said body and channel and through said guide lugs and guide bracket.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said resilient means comprises a spring surrounding said retainer and disposed between and engaging said guide bracket and the upper guide lug.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,647,688 Davis Nov. 1, 1927 1,693,478 Davis Nov. 27, 1928 2,030,087 Young et a1 Feb. 11, 1936 2,109,493 Lundeen Mar. 1, 1938 2,218,000 Grav et a1. Oct. 15, 1940 2,384,331 Neilson Sept. 4, 1945 2,722,450 Nelson Nov. 1, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 424,557 Great Britain Feb. 22, 1935 

